Dance of Life

The Dance of Life in the woods outside of Byron, MN

Location:Gagnon Museum

Casting Date: 1977

Materials:Bronze sculpture with a reddish patina

Description:The Dance of Life is the sculpture of a youthful ballet dancer with her right foot extended backward and her hands uplifted to the sky, expressing the joy of dancing and of life. The sculpture is 21 ½ inches tall and reveals how the human body expresses hope and joy.

Notes: Chuck greatly enjoyed attending the ballet. Throughout his life, he frequented performances by the New York Ballet, Metropolitan Opera Ballet, and Danish National Ballet companies as well as several contemporary ballet companies. Chuck particularly enjoyed classical ballet, such as his favorite ballet Giselle by Adolphe Adam. His encounter with the fluid movements of the dancers inspired the creation of numerous sculptures, including the Dance of Life. Gagnon modeled the sculpture after several dancers, allowing him to both experience and capture the joy of dancing.

Many viewers have noticed that the same joy radiates from the sculpture, which arouse feelings of happiness. The Dance of Life is full of the movement of a ballet dancer. As the dancer’s hands reach up for the sky, onlookers have commented on feeling inspired to strive for the highest goals.